I got the biggest one they have because I'm pretty tall. It is the one branded by Gold's gym with the sand in the bottom to prevent it from rolling around when you aren't on it.

Edit: I got it at Walmart, actually, for 20-25 bucks. Im 225lbs and it as shown no signs of structural weakness after a little over a year of use.

That said, my wife (who is BARELY 5'0) got some use out of it too, but had some trouble with some exercises since her feet didn't hit the ground. They have 4-5 sized and they are scaled by height/weight of the user so you should be able to find a good one that way.

Mew: You said in another thread that you have family that lifts weights and that if you are hungry like a teenage boy then you are doing it right. What do you do to avoid gaining a million lbs when you hit that stage? I'm eating what, by the numbers, is a sufficent intake in both total energy and composition for my workout and I don't want to gain more weight because of what I call the 'Oral Vacuum' effect.

After typing that I realized it could be interpreted another way, but I'm going to leave it as I think I'd approve of other applications.

Last edited by firstamendme on Thu Apr 29, 2010 9:35 am, edited 1 time in total.

I had a problem before with running and getting bored, I have a treadmill in my garage, and I'd get so bored staring in at a blank wall, I'd literally have to drag my ass down there to run. I figured it's because I was bored that I hated it. I don't' like to run in my neighborhood, cuz frankly I don't feel that safe here. I plan to have a darn TV/Ipod Dock in the next house we have, that is in the workout area we plan. I think having that will really help me run without it feeling like a drag.

For breakfast I always eat 2 egg whites (1 yolk) and a piece of wheat toast, if I feel extra hungry I add another egg white, virtually no calories/cholesterol. I've never been a breakfast person, so eating that pretty much forever doesn't bother me, I hate bacon (don't shoot me). Dinner is was my issue, I used to eat two dinners, like one at 7 pm then another plate of leftovers at like 11, that I think is what hurt me over the months. I had to really suffer the first two weeks of the weight watchers at night, the feeling of hunger, I would go to bed early or drink tea/water to make it go away. But after two weeks my stomach literally shrunk, I literally cannot eat as much as I used to so those feelings of hunger are not as bad as they used to be, though sometimes I still get them, so I eat some cucumbers with lemon, chili, and salt (Mexican snack).

In July I am trying to prepare a plan because we will be in California/Main/Boston for 2-3 weeks on family vacation and I know that vacationing can really throw you off track. At least in California I plan my exercise to be swimming every day, my parents have a big pool and it will be fun. For food, I plan to hit Costco/market the first day I get there and my my dinner/lunch/breakfast planned for the week so I can cook like usual. As far as the East Coat, it might be harder because we will be in hotels. I'm hoping to pick ones that have a gym I can access, and I think I'll be really careful about what I order out (except for in Boston I really want some chowder). Anyone got any travel tips for maintaining good eats?

That is an amazing idea, I'm going to get myself a medicine ball this weekend. I do try to be more active then I used to be, like I mentioned I exercise 4-5 times a week. But I work a lot on the computer, I still write a lot for my achievement site, and I take care of a lot of other stuff on the comp, so having that ball would probably be a lot better than the crappy chair I have! Thanks!!!

mew wrote:High cholesterol sucks balls Mine was a little high last time I had it done and I want to get it tested again closer to August after I've been healthier for a bit. Is your cholesterol back down now too?Turkey sandwiches are great.

It went down within 6 months of revising my diet and starting the badminton habit. I haven't had it checked in a while now though, I should probably schedule a test soon just to see how I'm doing with just the dietary changes and no exercise. I think I've been subconsciously avoiding it in case it turns out to be bad news.

That, and with the stress of the past year or so, I'm pretty sure I'm developing a high blood pressure problem. When I try and sleep at night, it's fairly common for me to be able to feel/hear my heartbeat from the pulsing in my temples. It's exacerbated by the fact that I sleep on a chillow, so the plastic-y surface makes it more noticeable than a regular pillow.

All the more reason to get checked out, really - HBP does run in my family.

firstamendme wrote:Mew: You said in another thread that you have family that lifts weights and that if you are hungry like a teenage boy then you are doing it right. What do you do to avoid gaining a million lbs when you hit that stage? I'm eating what, by the numbers, is a sufficent intake in both total energy and composition for my workout and I don't want to gain more weight because of what I call the 'Oral Vacuum' effect.After typing that I realized it could be interpreted another way, but I'm going to leave it as I think I'd approve of other applications.

I lol'd. Make sure to eat a lot of high protein, low fat, low sugar foods. That way you are intaking what your muscles need (protein) and not excess stuff they don't need. So that's a lot of white meat (skinless chicken and fish), beans, and of course vegetables. In all honesty, I don't know if I am doing this right but because I still have a lot of excess fat I am trying to drink a lot of water and eat some extra (good) protein but not too much; I'm still keeping a calorie deficit in hopes that my muscles will grow but will also take some of that fat down with it. But I know my brothers for their body building make sure to eat excess light meat and drink protein shakes (I'm not sure if your muscles will really grow without excess? Maybe they just won't grow as much). I think all my older brother eats are eggs, chicken breasts, fish, wheat pasta with red sauce vegetables, and protein shakes. And I know he can manage a 6-pack with that eating regimen and working out (he probably does like 10-20 minutes of hard cardio and then an hour or two of weights).

Definitely going to hit up Walmart some time then and pick one of those balls up I don't know if I am going to be able to not resist throwing it around with friends outside, but they seem really durable.

mew wrote: I think all my older brother eats are eggs, chicken breasts, fish, wheat pasta with red sauce vegetables, and protein shakes. And I know he can manage a 6-pack with that eating regimen and working out (he probably does like 10-20 minutes of hard cardio and then an hour or two of weights).

I love running too much to get to that point, I usually do 40 minutes of intense (via both high resistance and incline while trying to maintain a 'sprinting' pace) eliptical with 1-1.5 hours of lifting during weekdays and then run 8-10 miles on the weekend days. I can't see myself cutting the running down more than that, but then again I'm not trying to get huge, just toned. Thanks for the tips!

Thalia wrote:I had a problem before with running and getting bored, I have a treadmill in my garage, and I'd get so bored staring in at a blank wall, I'd literally have to drag my ass down there to run. I figured it's because I was bored that I hated it. I don't' like to run in my neighborhood, cuz frankly I don't feel that safe here. I plan to have a darn TV/Ipod Dock in the next house we have, that is in the workout area we plan. I think having that will really help me run without it feeling like a drag.

I know people that like the 15 or 30 minute aerobics tapes (those come in all sorts of varieties), and these days you can just watch them on youtube. Have you tried Zumba? That is pretty popular with the womens and you can find youtubes for those dance exercises.

I know what you mean about the stomach shrinking, it's nice I had half of a leftover crispy chicken sandwich for dinner last night and I was actually proud of myself when it really upset my stomach. It means I wasn't used to eating so much (it filled me up way good, I made the mistake Theck mentioned of eating way too fast and it caught up with me) and I wasn't used to the grease.Are you taking multivitamins? The thing to remember about stuff like egg whites is that while they don't have any bad stuff they don't really have any good stuff either But I assume you are getting vegetables and all that (I am just lazy and take multivitamins, but it's better to get actual vitamins from balanced foods).

Thalia wrote:In July I am trying to prepare a plan because we will be in California/Main/Boston for 2-3 weeks on family vacation and I know that vacationing can really throw you off track. At least in California I plan my exercise to be swimming every day, my parents have a big pool and it will be fun. For food, I plan to hit Costco/market the first day I get there and my my dinner/lunch/breakfast planned for the week so I can cook like usual. As far as the East Coat, it might be harder because we will be in hotels. I'm hoping to pick ones that have a gym I can access, and I think I'll be really careful about what I order out (except for in Boston I really want some chowder). Anyone got any travel tips for maintaining good eats?

I can't say it enough, swimming is awesome That will be fun.Pretty much all hotels have gyms, even if they are bad. And they usually have TVs in them. For eating out a lot it just takes a lot of self control. Especially since you have been eating less, you can get a bowl of soup (like clam chowder) and it will fill you up. Bring your own go-snacks like granola bars or whatever you like to eat between meals. And when it comes meal time find something light to order like an appetizer, soup, salad, get a sandwich and only let yourself eat half, etc. Or if you have anyone you could split a meal with (I never do) that works too. It is also cheap It really does feel great when you go to a restaurant and only spend like $6 on a whole meal.

Thalia wrote:That is an amazing idea, I'm going to get myself a medicine ball this weekend.

Not medicine ball, I think it's called a balance ball? Medicine balls are the basketball sized ones that are filled with water, these are the giant inflated balls Fun fun fun.

I had a problem before with running and getting bored, I have a treadmill in my garage, and I'd get so bored staring in at a blank wall, I'd literally have to drag my ass down there to run. I figured it's because I was bored that I hated it. I don't' like to run in my neighborhood, cuz frankly I don't feel that safe here. I plan to have a darn TV/Ipod Dock in the next house we have, that is in the workout area we plan. I think having that will really help me run without it feeling like a drag.

For breakfast I always eat 2 egg whites (1 yolk) and a piece of wheat toast, if I feel extra hungry I add another egg white, virtually no calories/cholesterol. I've never been a breakfast person, so eating that pretty much forever doesn't bother me, I hate bacon (don't shoot me). Dinner is was my issue, I used to eat two dinners, like one at 7 pm then another plate of leftovers at like 11, that I think is what hurt me over the months. I had to really suffer the first two weeks of the weight watchers at night, the feeling of hunger, I would go to bed early or drink tea/water to make it go away. But after two weeks my stomach literally shrunk, I literally cannot eat as much as I used to so those feelings of hunger are not as bad as they used to be, though sometimes I still get them, so I eat some cucumbers with lemon, chili, and salt (Mexican snack).

In July I am trying to prepare a plan because we will be in California/Main/Boston for 2-3 weeks on family vacation and I know that vacationing can really throw you off track. At least in California I plan my exercise to be swimming every day, my parents have a big pool and it will be fun. For food, I plan to hit Costco/market the first day I get there and my my dinner/lunch/breakfast planned for the week so I can cook like usual. As far as the East Coat, it might be harder because we will be in hotels. I'm hoping to pick ones that have a gym I can access, and I think I'll be really careful about what I order out (except for in Boston I really want some chowder). Anyone got any travel tips for maintaining good eats?

Wow, that is awesome! Your commitment is pretty outstanding. I've got my two cents on the issue, if you care to listen...

First off: See a dietician/health specialist. It'll be worth it. They're experts on taking care of your body, and they're on the better end of the medical world than doctors are... (hospital

Second: Find a competition. Like a 5k run, or a small triathlon. Research a good time for your age group, and shoot for that. The competition will drive you to stay in shape should you start to lose your motivation.

Third: Don't eat anything that has an ingredients label that looks like the instructions for a NASA satellite. For example, if you see lemon cookies on sale, and the ingredients aren't "butter, eggs, lemon juice..." but are "maltodextrin, super improved deoxyribonucleic acid, etc...." just don't do it.

Fourth: Don't diet. Don't do fad workouts. It's BS. Measure your caloric intake for your lifestyle. If you sit at a desk all day and do nothing, eat a little less than 2k calories a day. If you're a serious athlete, you may want to look at around 4k. It varies on your activity level and metabolism. When and how you eat it is mostly psychological though 6 small meals throughout the day does keep your metabolism working harder than three large ones.

Again, GREAT JOB! I'm really impressed.

<3 this thread.

Last edited by Mcduffie on Thu Apr 29, 2010 10:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

mew wrote: I think all my older brother eats are eggs, chicken breasts, fish, wheat pasta with red sauce vegetables, and protein shakes. And I know he can manage a 6-pack with that eating regimen and working out (he probably does like 10-20 minutes of hard cardio and then an hour or two of weights).

I love running too much to get to that point, I usually do 40 minutes of intense (via both high resistance and incline while trying to maintain a 'sprinting' pace) eliptical with 1-1.5 hours of lifting during weekdays and then run 8-10 miles on the weekend days. I can't see myself cutting the running down more than that, but then again I'm not trying to get huge, just toned. Thanks for the tips!

Daaaayum. I used to do the 40 minutes of intense (heart rate over 190) cardio on the eliptical (I wish my current gym had inclining elipticals) but that would be my whole work out. This time I'm trying to balance more like 30 minutes of intense cardio and 10-20 minutes of weights. I couldn't imagine doing 40 minutes of intense cardio and then over an hour of weights.That does seem like the way to get toned though, I assume you are doing more reps of lower weights? I also assume you work all the muscles. I've seen my brothers do toning as holding high weights mid-rep for __ seconds, but I'm not sure if that works only for people going for bulk.

Oh, and also, forgot to mention, my brothers carry milk jugs full of water around with them and finish it by the end of the day If you are doing that much exercise you might want to drink even more.

Mcduffie wrote:Second: Find a competition. Like a 5k run, or a small triathlon. Research a good time for your age group, and shoot for that. The competition will drive you to stay in shape should you start to lose your motivation.

I've found that competing with myself works even better. For example I'll take a picture from front and one from side wearing just shorts (for private use ofc) every Friday night and then date them. Nothing enforces the positive behavior like seeing tangible results over time.

@Mew: Yea, I do 3sets of 15, then a 4th set of 12-15 with 5-10 more lbs and hold the last rep out for a bit. I alternate muscle groups too. That milk-jug of water sounds like something I'll have to try, thanks! Only problem is I can't bring water into my lab area so if I have a day of very solid labwork I'll have to get creative with taking short breaks. Thanks tho!

Mcduffie wrote:Second: Find a competition. Like a 5k run, or a small triathlon. Research a good time for your age group, and shoot for that. The competition will drive you to stay in shape should you start to lose your motivation.

I've found that competing with myself works even better. For example I'll take a picture from front and one from side wearing just shorts (for private use ofc) every Friday night and then date them. Nothing enforces the positive behavior like seeing tangible results over time.

Oh, cool. Whatever works for you. I'm more of the "utility" over "aesthetics" type, so pictures and visible improvement don't do much for me. Plus, I've been in really good shape pretty much all of my life. So, if there are changes, they're very minimal and not rewarding.

firstamendme wrote:I've found that competing with myself works even better. For example I'll take a picture from front and one from side wearing just shorts (for private use ofc) every Friday night and then date them. Nothing enforces the positive behavior like seeing tangible results over time.

Oh, cool. Whatever works for you. I'm more of the "utility" over "aesthetics" type, so pictures and visible improvement don't do much for me. Plus, I've been in really good shape pretty much all of my life. So, if there are changes, they're very minimal and not rewarding.

It isn't so much aesthetics as far as 'I need to look soooooo gooood oommmggggg' as it is because I have a really shitty self body image. Seeing the picture and realizing that I don't look as bad as I think helps motivate to continue as well.

I don't agree with anyone saying they are trying to lose weight. If you haven't been doing cardio/weight lifting regularly you shouldn't be worried if you are losing weight or not. Chances are you aren't going to lose weight for quite awhile assuming you are eating enough. Any fat you do end up losing while working out will be replaced by muscle and muscle weighs quite a bit more then fat per cubic (insert measurement type of choice). Not to mention that the human body is made to store fat and not lose it.

Whoever said to take a picture every week, date them and compare is a more accurate way to determining how well you are doing on your new diet/exercise program is probably the most accurate. All I'm trying to say is don't look at that scale and assume it knows everything. The body takes time to adjust to changes in our routines and it may takes months for you to see bigger results. You can't just healthily lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time (at least without the help of a professional).

Dapaladin wrote:I don't agree with anyone saying they are trying to lose weight. If you haven't been doing cardio/weight lifting regularly you shouldn't be worried if you are losing weight or not. Chances are you aren't going to lose weight for quite awhile assuming you are eating enough. Any fat you do end up losing while working out will be replaced by muscle and muscle weighs quite a bit more then fat per cubic (insert measurement type of choice). Not to mention that the human body is made to store fat and not lose it.

Whoever said to take a picture every week, date them and compare is a more accurate way to determining how well you are doing on your new diet/exercise program is probably the most accurate. All I'm trying to say is don't look at that scale and assume it knows everything. The body takes time to adjust to changes in our routines and it may takes months for you to see bigger results. You can't just healthily lose a lot of weight in a short amount of time (at least without the help of a professional).

You are right, I've been losing on average 1.5-2 pounds a week, once I lost 3.2 for some reason and WW told me that could be bad. I am also measuring my body fat% and body muscle % to compare weekly. My muscle has definitely gone up.

Thalia wrote:You are right, I've been losing on average 1.5-2 pounds a week, once I lost 3.2 for some reason and WW told me that could be bad. I am also measuring my body fat% and body muscle % to compare weekly. My muscle has definitely gone up.

What is WW? Muscle% and fat% are better but as far as i know most methods aren't completely accurate. Even devices with electronic means can be somewhat off because of more or less water in the body but over a long period of time they will display a trend like you said. Same can be said with pictures if you have more water in your body at the time you will be bloated etc.

General statement: People expect changes to be quick but in most cases they won't be and people get discouraged too easily.